Belgium to Introduce Road Tolls, Discount for EVs

Three Belgian regions jointly announced on Friday that they will introduce a new road tax next year. Euronews notes that not only domestic drivers but also all foreign drivers passing through the country will have to pay tolls for using the highways.

Belgium currently allows free use of nearly its entire highway network. However, the issue of introducing tolls has been debated on the political scene for many years. Revenue from tolls will be used exclusively for the operation, modernization and overall maintenance of the road network, for which the individual regions are responsible.

Starting 1 May 2027, drivers will be required to register their vehicles. Daily passes will be available for cars passing through the country. The annual fee for a zero-emission vehicle will be €90 ($102.9), while for cars with higher emissions, the amount will rise to €125 ($143).

Traffic cameras will automatically verify payment, and violations will be subject to a fine of €70 ($80).

According to the MR party chairman, the government plans to offset this toll by reducing other taxes for Belgian citizens. However, the proposed road toll system still requires final approval from the individual Belgian regions and the relevant European authorities before it can be officially launched.

(max)